


Cranes In The Sky

by Cypress_ (KireinaKitsune)



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Eventual Romance, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, High Honor Arthur Morgan, Humor, I haven't written anything in a while so forgive me if it's not up to par, I just have to get back into it, Older Man/Younger Woman, Rape Aftermath, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2020-09-25 22:50:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20379421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KireinaKitsune/pseuds/Cypress_
Summary: --"In the most trying and hurtful of times, it's important not to falter or else you will continue to see life, something so beautiful, in fragments and pieces. Only seeing parts of life and not living life to the fullest...,"An Arthur Morgan x OC lovefic.





	1. the flower girl and the cowboy.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you for deciding to read my story. I haven't written in a really long time and I'm so glad to get back into it. I tried my best with this first chapter but it's flowing more smoothly now as I write which is making me feel way more confident about it. It's a start!
> 
> So I hope you all enjoy it!

Chloe’s chartreuse irises danced in delight as they gazed upon the light purple orchids swaying gently in the warm breeze. A gentle, tawny brown hand reached down to pick the flowers and place them in the basket with the other flowers she had found. She enjoyed doing this task for Mr. Wasp whenever she could, just to get out to Saint Denis occasionally. She enjoyed visiting the city occasionally. He was always grateful when she offered which made it even more fulfilling, acting as the occasional assistant for him from time to time. She was carefully stepped around, making sure not to make too much noise as she gathered more of the fragrant flowers. She also picked some Angelica Herbs and lotus flowers for making medicinal tonics. She had already gathered some roses earlier in the week for her skin creams, so she was excited to come across more plants that she needed.  
  
Chloe carefully walked her way around the trees, glancing at the jack rabbits scattering from her quiet footsteps. Blowing a wisp of brown strands from her face, she picked some more of the flowers, making sure not to damage the stems. She felt her basket getting heavy, decided to stop for now. She sighed as she began to make her way through the trees, holding tight to the woven basket. The fallen leaves crushing underneath her lace up boots, the heel digging into the soft earth. Her forest green hooded cloak blew softly in the spring wind as she journeyed further into the thicket of the trees, a soft song ghosting from her as she picked flowers. Her footsteps paused once she found speckles of blood staining the petals of a bearded iris, the yellow petals tainted. She froze, listening closely to her surroundings. Her eyes followed a trail of blood carefully, being even more quiet than before as she continued to trace the trail. She felt her body go cold when she spotted the body of a man beside a tree, his dark blood glistening on the side of his now tattered cornflower blue shirt as well as deep feral scratches marring his broad back as well.  
  
She trembled in fear, afraid to touch him before pressing past her trepidation to help him. She avoided touching his back before moving to check his pulse, a slow throb meeting her gentle fingertips from her touch. She let out a sigh of relief once she realized he was alive, his dishwater blonde hair sprinkled with blood as well but thankfully he didn’t have an injury to his head and still smoothed back from pomade. She tried to think quickly on how to get him up, knowing that she was too weak to lift his brawny figure. She managed to turn him over to look at his front side, making sure that he didn’t have any additional injuries. The front of his shirt was ripped up as well, blood staining his stomach. She frowned sadly, gently touching the swelled scars with care as she tried to figure out a way to help him. She looked over his face, brushing one of the strands from his forehead. He was attractive; full pink lips set in a frown, the growth of stubble dusting his cheeks and jawline and dark lashes. She wiped the flecks of dust from his face with care, staring at him. A soft blush erupted on her cheeks, making the warmth expand all over her face.

  
Chloe quickly snapped out of her reverie when she heard a carriage coming by. She speedily got on her feet and moved as fast she could through the thicket of trees, breathing heavily as she flagged the carriage down.  
  
“Please wait!” she breathed, watching as the carriage slowed down and the driver looking at her with alarm. He hopped down and came over to her, immediately moving to help her.  
  
She was able to convince the carriage driver to help her get the injured man to her cottage, glancing back at him every once in a while to make sure he was okay on the way there.

\--  
  
Arthur felt like garbage, letting out a groan as he opened his hazy eyes as to look around. The dull pain shot through him like a bullet, making him lay back down with a pained groan. He slowly brought his hand up to his head, trying to remember what happened to him. The cloudy memories of him trekking through the forest, the angry growl of a bear and the faraway and panicked neigh of his horse and galloping away swirling through his mind.  
  
“Dammit,” he murmured in aggravation, rubbing his eyes to try to clear his vision and to focus. He felt warm and oddly comfortable before realizing that he was on a bed, the cushions seeming to envelope his body. Confused, he slowly sat up in the bed and glanced down to see that his shirt had been removed. Soft white cloth bandage neatly wrapped around his wounds, carefully tended to. He looked around, realizing that he was in what looked to be a cozy, small cottage; the scent of ambrosia and fresh bread floating through the air. Flowers and small trinkets decorated the room he was in, giving the room a gardenesque aura. He groaned as he tried to make another sudden movement before deciding to sit back against the wall, the soft blue wool blanket sliding off of his body as he did.  
  
His ears perked up when he heard a soft singing voice, getting closer and closer. It was a woman’s voice; too soft for him to hear what she was singing. He blinked, staring as the door of his room opened to reveal a young woman. She had long, wavy milk chocolate hair, streaming down her shoulders elegantly, full lips colored a dewy rose color and green doe eyes regarding him almost timidly. She was dressed in a cream blouse with short sleeves and a simple royal blue walking skirt. She held a platter with a plate of bread and a bowl of soup.  
  
A blush erupted on her café-au-lait colored face, biting her lip shyly as she stared at him. She shifted on her feet, giving him a smile.  
  
“Hello…,” she said quietly, examining his blue eyes from afar before approaching him and sitting the platter onto the floor beside the bed. “A-Are you feeling okay?”  
  
Arthur blinked before sighing. “I’m alright, I guess. Where are we?” he drawled as she took the platter from the ground and set it carefully in his lap.  
  
Chloe gave him a soft smile. “We’re in my cottage, I had found while I was out. You were hurt pretty bad, so I tried my best to doctor your wounds,” she said with a frown.  
  
The scent of the soup made Arthur realize that he was feeling a bit peckish, beginning to eat. The flavor of different herbs coating his tongue, leaving a savory and delectable taste. Chloe watched him eat, feeling a little better that he was eating. Arthur glanced up at her, studying her warm expression before she glanced away.  
  
“What’s your name, girl?” he asked, taking a bite of the soft bread.  
  
Chloe looked over at him, tucking a wavy stand behind her ear. “Chloe Beaumont,” she replied.  
  
“Arthur Morgan,” he said, introducing himself to her and offering his hand to her. Chloe beamed and reached out to shake his hand, noting how hard his palm felt against hers. “Nice to meet you, Miss Chloe,”  
  
“Your old shirt was pretty tattered from the attack, so I managed to find you another. Hopefully it’s the right size for you,” she added, blushing a little as her eyes swept over his chest before getting up to go retrieve the shirt. Arthur continued to wolf down his soup and bread, his body immediately warming up more from the food. He looked up when Chloe presented him with a black buttoned shirt, neatly folded and crisp. She set it beside him before carefully taking his tray once he was finished with his food. He picked up the shirt, unfolding it to hold it against himself with a gentle smile playing on his lip.  
  
“Thank ya,” he said as he slid the shirt on, covering his broad shoulders and his chest. “So, Miss Chloe, do you usually bring random fellas’ home or is this just a once in a lifetime occasion for ya?” he asked, buttoning up the shirt only to leave a few unbuttoned.  
  
Chloe raised a brow, giving a light giggle. “Only the ones who might need help surviving a bear attack, maybe,” she said before moving to carry the platter out of the room. Arthur let out a grunt as he slowly stood up, stretching his muscles as much as he could without hurting himself too much and following her. Chloe carried the platter to her kitchen, cleaning off before putting it away as Arthur roamed around her cottage out of curiosity. He peeked out the window, a few dark blonde strands falling in his face as he studied the outside area to get an idea of where he was and how long he was out. He knew that he had to get back to camp before everyone began to wonder if he was in danger.  
  
He moved from the window, looking over to see Chloe smiling brightly at him. Her expression alighting a spark of amusement in his eyes. He took the moment to study her more since they were in a better light. He could admit to himself that she was a looker, his eyes doing a once over of her warm, delicate features and womanly figure. Her waves of hair tumbling and ending in curls near the tips reminded him of silky earth ribbons.  
  
“Well, Miss Chloe, I appreciate your help but I gotta go,” he said after a beat, making Chloe regard him with concern.  
  
“Are you sure?” she replied with a frown following him as he began to get ready to leave, grabbing his satchel that was laid with care across one of her cherry oak tables. “You’re still pretty hurt,”  
  
Arthur raised a brow when he heard her express her concern, letting out a dry chuckle. “Trust me, darlin’, I’ve dealt with way worse,” he gruffed, fixing his cotton suspenders on his broad shoulders. Chloe stood back, frowning a little to herself. Arthur glanced at her briefly, a little confused as to why she cared if he decided to leave or not.  
  
“You shouldn’t worry yerself. I can take care of myself, I’ll be fine,” he reassured. “Thank you for the hospitality, ma’am,”

Chloe nodded in understanding. He had every right to leave; she couldn’t keep him there. She didn’t even know him, she thought. He probably had a family that was concerned for his well-being or someone that cared about him.  
  
“Well, I wasn’t able to find your horse so I got one from a stable nearby. It wasn’t expensive but I knew you would probably need one for when you wanted to leave,” she explained.  
  
Arthur was surprised. Who does this for someone they never met before? He figured that she was too trusting, making him give her a bemused expression.  
  
“You shouldn’t be so trusting, Miss Beaumont. Someone could take advantage of ‘ya one day,” he drawled as she followed him outside. “Especially with young ladies like yerself, if they knew how naïve you were, they would be all over you,” he grumbled, making Chloe clasp her hands behind her in embarrassment. She could obviously tell that he was older than her and didn’t want to sound too inexperienced in front of him but she gave it away unsurprisingly.  
  
He recognized the area soon as they were outside, immediately figuring out they were a few miles outside of Strawberry. She showed him the horse; a brownish gold Morgan horse with a white mane. He pet the horse gently before mounting it, glancing down at Chloe. He tipped his hat to her with a polite smile.  
  
“Have a good one, Miss Beaumont,” he said before turning on the horse and galloping away without another word.  
  
Chloe gave him another wave before letting out a soft sigh as she mulled over his words. She probably was too trusting or too generous but it was just in her nature to be that way. She didn’t think she would be able to change it any time soon. She shrugged, moving to get her hooded cloak and slipped it on.  
“Well, time to go into Saint Denis…,” she said to herself before gathering some items, mounting her horse and riding away.  



	2. a second visit.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and Chloe sit down for a friendly conversation and bonding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I am back with a second chapter. Finally...lol but no but really I am having a lot of fun with this story and I am really enjoying writing it. I am happy to be writing again. It feels really good ;.; 
> 
> Anywho, I hope that you all enjoy this next chapter. Thanks for reading!
> 
> NOTE: The song that Chloe sings is by Nat King Cole and is called Unforgettable. The song is not of the time period but I couldn't help it. It's such a pretty song and I thought it would be nice. :D

  * \- AT HORSESHOE OVERLOOK -

_I met a young woman a couple of days ago. Her name is Chloe Beaumont and she helped me recover from my wounds from a bear attack in her cottage. I almost felt like I was in a flower garden from all the flowers that filled her home._  
  
_The wounds still hurt mighty bad, but I can’t imagine how bad it would have been if she hadn’t found me. A sweet little thing; naïve and bright-eyed. She even went out of her way to get me a horse to get back to camp and new shirt to wear since my other one was shredded. It confused me but I realized that there still are angels out here in the world, even here in this desolate place. I am grateful for her help, even though I am a little confused as to why a little lady like herself is living alone. Maybe she just likes the solitude, a cherub amongst picked orchids. I hope no one takes that hopeful glitter from her eye, it’s something that this changing world needs._  
  
Arthur carefully sketched a picture of Chloe next to his journal entry, the memory of her bright green eyes, blushing cinnamon cheeks and the sun stars that spotted across her nose and sensitive, dimpled smile. The shape of her jaw and the silky curtain of chocolate tresses framing around her face and tucked behind her ear. He drew some of the flowers that he saw around her cottage around her hair, instantly reminding him of the flower nymphs that he would read about when he was younger. He did his best to capture her sweetness; her eyes seeming to sparkle at him as a thanks for immortalizing her in his personal written memories. He sighed and closed his journal once he was done, looking around the camp at the moving figures wandering about. When he had came home the day before, no one seemed to notice his absence like he thought they would. Possibly because he was always gone every now and again, but they did notice his injuries, which he was a little grateful for. It didn’t stop him from carrying out any errands that Dutch needed done for the week; any way to gain more funds for the camp and a way out always made him power through the pain.  
  
He sighed as he slung his satchel over his shoulder, tucking his journal into it before leaving his cot. The beams of the sun immediately grazing his skin, making him adjust his hat on his head. He immediately thought of taking up some bounties for the day for some extra money, making note to stop by other nearby towns. He gave soft nods to everyone who greeted him, stopping when Hosea waved at him to come over. A smirk played on Arthur’s lips, watching as the older gentleman gave him a friendly smile. “Hey Arthur! How are you feeling today?” Hosea greeted. “Those injuries you had were pretty severe,”  
  
“Yeah, I’m alrigh’,” he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck gently. “That damn bear almost killed me. I don’t think I’ll be hunting for a while…well, animals anyway,”  
  
Hosea let out a soft chuckle, his weathered hands carving a piece of wood with articulate detail. “Well, thankfully, that young lady was there to help you,”  
  
Arthur smiled a little before, shifting his weight a little. His spurs catching the sunlight gently as he did. He had forgotten that he had mentioned Chloe to Hosea the last time they had the talked. “Yeah, thankfully…,” he replied.  
  
\--  
  
Chloe giggled softly to herself as she fed her Palomino horse, Chantilly. She gently combed her hands through her mane and pet her gently. “You’re a silly girl…,” Chloe commented softly, seeing the twinkle in Chantilly’s eye. She always took it as her way of saying I love you without speaking, nuzzling the palm of her hand gently. Chloe gave her another oatcake before brushing her mane.  
  
“You’ve been working hard, you deserve to rest today,” she said gently, giving her one last pat before gently leading her back to her small stable. Afterwards, Chloe headed back into her cottage, checking on the rabbit stew that she was preparing near the fireplace. A look of glee crossed her face as she took in the savory scent of her upcoming meal, grateful that she went out of the way to seek out some more spices for her stew. It really brought out the flavor of the food. Feeling hungrier than she expected, she took a piece of thick, sweet bread and dipped it into the boiling broth. The steam slowly curled and rose in the air from the heat, making her softly blow on the soaked piece before taking a big bite. She immediately felt a surge of happiness from the flavor, devouring the rest of the bread.  
  
“This is gonna be great!” she chirped happily, wiping her hands off before sitting down. She spotted Arthur’s old shirt splayed on the floor, making her remember that she forgot to throw it away. Her mind immediately drifted back to when he was here; she didn’t get to talk to him as much as she wanted to but found his company strangely charming.  
  
“I hope he’s doing alright,” she thought to herself, chewing on her bottom lip. “I mean, when he left he looked like he was ready to fly out of here,”  
  
The thought made her let out a soft giggle, a light blush coming across her face when she thought about the moment she took her shirt off. Her mind swam with different thoughts as she took in all of the scars, healed bullet marks and faded bruising along with his fresh injuries. It was hard to resist touching them, even though she didn’t go much farther than that. It felt strange but interesting, so many questions that she couldn’t have answered in that moment. She had never encountered something like that before: the faded reminders of violent events marring one’s skin. She looked down at her own skin, free from scars or blemishes of any kind. She had the soap that she made from passion flowers and chamomile to thank for that along with some rose water. She could get on a soap box in the middle of Strawberry and preach about the miracles of flowers and their everyday uses but she’s sure it would fall on deaf ears. The only person who was willing to listen to her drabble about it was Mr. Wasp, even then he was a little disinterested at times.  
  
“They’ll never see the light…,” she murmured to herself with a dry chuckle, reminding herself to make some more soap when she had the time. Her mind drifted back to Arthur, wondering what he was up to now.  
  
“Hopefully not getting attacked by another bear,” she thought with a chuckle. It had been a couple of days since she last saw him so she couldn’t help but wonder. She shrugged after a moment, knowing that he was probably fine. She pulled herself out of her daydream when she heard a hissing spill, letting out a squeak when she realized her stew was boiling over and quickly going over to fix the mess.

-0-  
  
Arthur grunted as he led his captured bounty to the Strawberry jailhouse. Honestly, he was glad because he was quite tired of the rambling from his bounty. He was used to it but sometimes it could be agitating to listen to them try to reason why they were innocent and undeserving of being incarcerated. Even for this one bounty, a smack across the head wasn’t even enough to make them hush up. He stopped his horse, hopping off to retrieve the bounty from his horse. His boots sinking in the muddy sludge as he carried his bounty to the jailhouse, kicking open the door with his boot and leaving a clean mud mark on the light color wooden door.  
  
“I got Sullivan Johnson here,” Arthur gruffed, listening as the sheriff directed him to put him in the cell. Arthur roughly dropped the captured bounty on the faded cot in the cell, closing the cell behind him before going over to the sheriff to collect his reward.  
  
$50.00- not bad. It was his third bounty for the day, deciding to stop for the afternoon as he headed back to his horse. He smiled as he mounted the horse, looking down at its whiskey brown coat and beautiful white mane. It wasn’t a bad mount, impressed by Chloe’s selection. He knew it didn’t cost much but it was the thought that matters. He rode out of Strawberry; the sound of the horse’s hooves galloping was echoing in his ears as they hit the ground. Blue eyes focused ahead, avoiding the carriages that passed him. Once he was a bit away from the city, he began to recognize the area he was in; the formation of the wooded area on the right and the small, sparsely flowered valley on the left. He slowed down a little and saw the small cottage that he had left from just a few days ago. He saw no sign of Chloe outside but the smoke coming from the bricked chimney let him know that she was home. The instant memory of the scent that drifted around her home came to his memory. He hesitated for a moment before leading his horse into the valley towards her home. He told himself that he would check on her occasionally, when he could, he thought to himself. He stopped once he reached her small, quaint cottage.  
  
He carefully climbed off his horse, hitching her near the stable where Chloe kept her own horse. The scent of savory, seasoned rabbit filled his nose; he recognized that scent anywhere. When he reached the door, he could hear her soft, recognizable singing drifting from within. He stopped to listen for a moment, trying to see if he could recognize the song but realized that it was in a completely different language. He huffed before knocking on the door, the singing suddenly stopping when he did.  
  
Suddenly, the door opened to reveal Chloe, her thick hair in a messy bun on the crown of her head and chocolate tendrils framing her face. She was dressed in a simple white dress with a light blue apron wrapped around her waist. There was a small stain on the front of the apron that Arthur immediately figured was from her cooking but did nothing to take away from her appearance.  
  
She gave him a warm, welcoming smile, which wasn’t necessarily common when people saw him, or anybody like him.  
  
“Mr. Morgan! How are you?” she chirped happily in greeting, her green eyes lighting up. “Please come in,”  
  
Arthur gave her a polite smile, taking off his hat as he stepped inside. “It’s nice to see you as well, Miss Beaumont,” he said as he set his hat on the table. Chloe closed the door behind him, smiling a little to herself as she welcomed him to sit down.  
  
“You look a lot better. I’m figuring that you decided to stay away from wild bears,” she said with a giggle, making Arthur raise a brow at her before letting out a soft, gruff chuckle.  
  
“Yeah, I ain’t been huntin’ since then…,” he drawled. “I figured I should give it a break before I go on another fool quest like that again,”  
  
Chloe grinned, taking in his appearance a little more; seeing that the color had came back to his face and giving him a ruddy appearance. His hair still covered in pomade, giving it its slicked back appearance. He was dressed in a navy-blue union suit and worn jeans with spurred boots; the strap of his satchel slung across his broad chest and his gun belt clinging to him hips. There were light dirt stains marring his cheeks, but it did nothing to take away from his handsome, rugged appearance. She looked away from him, curling one of the loose strands of hair behind her ear.  
  
“Um, are you hungry? I made a rabbit and vegetable stew if you’re interested,” she offered suddenly when she realized she didn’t add anything to his previous statement.  
  
Arthur gave a soft nod. “Sure, why not?” he replied, a smirk playing on his pink lips. Chloe quickly nodded, getting a bowl for him and scooping up some of the stew to fill the bowl. She made sure to give him extra pieces of meat before placing the bowl in front of him with a spoon. He nodded his head in appreciation before she sat in front of him, eyeing him curiously. She was surprised that he even came back to see her, wondering why he showed up. She could admit that she had a budding fascination with him even though she knew nothing about him; his appearance said a lot about him without him even speaking. She stared at him curiously as he ate, studying his every move before piping up with another question.  
  
“So what do you do?” she asked, letting her curiosity bubble from within. Arthur looked up at her after he had taken another spoonful of the stew. The girl could cook, he thought before giving her an amused look.  
  
“What do y’ think I do?” he murmured, his blue eyes staring at her expectantly.  
  
Chloe thought to herself, her green eyes trailing away before she looked at him again. “Hm, you look like you could be a farm hand,” she finally answered, earning a guffaw from Arthur.  
  
“What farm hand you know carries around a bunch of rifles?” he asked, quirking a brow. Chloe smiled warmly at him, folding her hands on the table.  
  
“I’ve seen a lot of them that carry guns,” she replied before smirking. “So, are you one?”  
  
“Far from one, darlin’,” he replied, finishing his bowl of stew and Chloe got up to retrieve his bowl. “I’m one of the bad guys…,” he finished, making Chloe look at him with an entertained look.  
  
“Sure you are. Would you like more?” she offered politely, making Arthur look up at her with a smirk.  
  
“A woman after my own heart,” he said before accepting her offer of more food. He knew that at camp, going up for seconds was a pretty sparse deal so the thought of filling up here on some home-cooked food was a good deal to him. He watched as she filled up his bowl again, looking at her again. He began to wonder again why a young lady like herself was out living by herself. His eyes studied the delicate curve of her back, the slender curve of her waist down to the womanly curve of her hips covered modestly by the long skirt of her white dress. Arthur blushed, turning away as she set the bowl back in front of him along with a cup of fresh water.  
  
“I…I just wanted to thank you again for helpin’ me when you did. I don’t think I was as grateful as I should have been the first time around but…,” he paused quietly, beginning to eat again. “I’m sure if you hadn’t, my wounds would have been worse, I appreciate ya,”

  
Chloe smiled shyly before shrugging a little and looking down. “Well, it’s alright, Mr. Morgan, you don’t have to thank me…,”  
  
“Arthur,” he replied, making her look up at him again and her smile brightened a little more. It reminded Arthur of playfulness and youth with her deep dimples and full lips; the glitter in her eye that he had wrote about in his journal dancing in her green eyes.  
  
“Chloe,” she replied with a small nod of acknowledgement, gazing at him with a small hint of admiration. Arthur picked up on the look in her eyes but didn’t mind it; he was used to women of all kinds looking at him with all kinds of different emotions, so he didn’t mind it.

“So, I’m curious, how does a li’l woman like you end up living by yourself?” he asked, starting a conversation that would quench his growing questions about the young woman before him.  
  
“Does it surprise you that I live alone?” she said gently, playing with one of the sleeves of her dress.  
  
“Well, of course. I ain’t used to seein’ young women like you living in a place like this without a husband,” he said, making Chloe let out a soft giggle.  
  
“Well, my father bought this cottage for me a while back when I expressed a desire to live away from New Orleans; that’s where I grew up,” she said gently, her lips parting slightly as she reflected on her memory. “New Orleans is a great place, a lot of culture there but I wanted to see more so my dad gave me some money, sending me on my way and had this cottage built for me,” she explained.  
  
“I know they are missing me a lot so I try my best to send them letters whenever I can to let them know that I’m okay,” she finished with a wistful smile.  
  
“Do you miss them?” Arthur asked, his spoon absentmindedly stirring his bowl of half-eaten stew as he listened to her. If he could give himself a compliment, it would be that he was an attentive listener when he wanted to be.  
  
“Sometimes, but it feels good to be out and about. Experiencing life and the simpler luxuries; my parents are a little more well off. Not rich by any means but they make enough to live amongst the middle class,” she said. “I spent most of my childhood in church, learning French and attending county events all dressed up to sing in front of a bunch of people. It wasn’t ideal but I did learn a lot…,”  
  
Arthur chewed slowly as he stared at her, his spoon slowing down its pattern around the bowl. “You have a really nice voice, if it means anything to you,” he said tentatively. His shyness melted away when Chloe gave him a prideful smile.  
  
“Thank you, Arthur…,” she said. “If you ever want me to sing anything for you, just let me know,”  
  
“Sure, I’ll keep that in mind,” he said with a low chuckle. “I might just consider it before I leave. Sound like a deal?”  
  
“Deal,” she said gently, enjoying the sound of his amusement. To her, he looked as if he didn’t smile a lot, so she was glad that she was somewhat of an entertaining host. It was one of the things that was taught to her as a child growing up. Her mother Josephine, always slender and radiant in her Creole beauty, always loved to host events at their home. Her father Swan was more of a wallflower, only enjoying the fact that her mother was having fun. Her mother was proud of their beautifully decorated 2-floor home and the carefully tended garden sprawling around the Victorian style home. She fondly remembers how the garden sparked her adoration for flowers and plant life; the freesia and beautiful roses dancing under the attention of her young curious eyes captured her mind.

As the afternoon lead to the evening, they continued to talk to each other and sharing different stories with one another. He didn’t like to talk much about himself, she noticed but she was able to pull a few tender stories from him; from what his own parents and childhood were like to more random things like what his favorite food was. Arthur was an interesting man, she thought. She believes his persistence of him being a bad man; which is why he didn’t really share much of his current events but she didn’t really mind it. She was able to gather that he was a bit more closed off, so she appreciated anything he wanted to share with her at the moment.  
  
For Arthur, he felt as if he was intruding on this young lady’s world. Everything about her life seemed to be so peaceful and welcoming; at least welcoming to anybody else except someone like him. Yet, she embraced him in a figurative way; she welcomed him willingly into her freshly scented world of chamomile, potent pink orchids and her quick, genuine smiles. Her soft, docile womanly existence captivated him. He, a hardened, weathered outlaw fighting with his own morals and deep-rooted issues, felt swayed by the gentle blanket her guileless presence offered him. He could say to himself that he didn’t feel like a ‘bad man’; his thoughts would indict that as well but the actions that he would take were always more important—and he had done some bad things. He realized then that the words in his journal and felt them ring true now more than ever.  
  
It had reached the late evening, much to Arthur’s surprise. He didn’t know that he had been talking to her that long, watching as Chloe picked at the logs in her fireplace to make sure that the flames stayed lit. She looked back at him when she heard his chair move, smiling.  
  
“You’re leaving?” she said as she stood straight up and looking up at him. Arthur was statuesque compared to her standing of 5’4. It made a big difference now that she noticed it.  
  
“Yeah, I’m takin’ my leave for today, mi’lady,” he said as he stretched, putting his hat back on his head. “Thank you for the meal. It was quite a treat. I should stop by more often if you’re cookin’ like that,” he complimented with a slight blush reddening his dewy cheeks.  
  
“I’d like that…,” Chloe responded with a voice more suggestive than she intended it to be, her cheeks immediately feeling hot for embarrassment. She straightened up when Arthur’s smile only seemed to widen at her words, his thumbs hooking into the loops of his jeans. There was a beat of silence between which made Chloe want to sink within herself from the shyness she felt. This was the first time she had a man in her home for an extended period, other than the scruffy carpenter from Strawberry.  
  
Arthur decides to break the silence, his smile becoming more tender. “Are you still wantin’ to sing a song for me? I ain’t got a certain request so sing whatever you like,” he asked.  
  
Chloe perked up at his words before nodding happily. “Okay!” she said with a happy expression.  
  
They both settled back down at the table, but Chloe sat a bit closer, still facing him as the firelight and the dimming sunlight danced off of both of their features as Chloe’s classical voice filled the air, the crystalline notes wrapping around Arthur like clover.  
  
_♪Unforgettable, that's what you are_  
_Unforgettable though near or far_  
_ Like a song of love that clings to me_  
_ How the thought of you does things to me_  
_ Never before has someone been more_

_Unforgettable in every way  
And forever more, that's how you'll stay  
That's why, darling, it's incredible  
That someone so Unforgettable  
Thinks that I am Unforgettable too_ _♪_

❤


	3. a visit to the saloon.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe convinces Arthur to take her to the bar and trouble ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm really sorry that this chapter took so long to go up. I've been really sick for the past couple of months and I have really been aching to write again. I'm so glad to get back to it now that I've been getting better! Thank you so much to everyone who has been reading and leaving comments. It means a lot to me! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Thank you so much again.

As time went on, Chloe began to expect Arthur’s company during the evenings. At first, he visited every blue moon and slowly progressed to him showing up at her cottage once or even twice a week between the tasks that he did for the camp and Dutch. His appearance varying from tidy to disheveled, new rips in his ranch pants or in the shirt he decided to wear that day. There were even times when she had to help him with new wounds; fresh cuts from knives, bullet grazes and actual bullet wounds that he would try to tend to himself, but Chloe would go over it to perfect the bandages and added different salves to ease the aches. The evenings filled with shared stories and Chloe’s soft songs filling the fragrant air, much to Arthur’s growing delight. 

Chloe didn’t mind his visits; he was delightful company and it could get a little lonely at times whenever she pondered on her own. It took a bit of prodding for him to open more to her; his personality bursting full of sarcastic humor, wistful smiles and a sonorous laugh that filled her with glee. It balanced out the story of his life, which was way less joyful. The creeping flirtation beginning to invade their conversations and comments from time to time. Her coquettish side getting the best of her at times, letting her brush her hand against his when she was close enough or touching his jaw as if she were removing a small speck from his face. It was always enough to make him blush or shift, letting out a cough to loosen the air around them. Her full lips parted as she watched him now, scribbling quickly in his journal. His eyes fixed on the page, unknowing of her gaze watching his every move. She often wondered what he would always write about since he had it with him all the time. She was sure that it would reveal more of his inner thoughts to her, which sounded tempting in thought. His hat sat on the table next to him as it always did, the strands of his hair a bit unruly due to it growing. It was enough for the strands to graze his temple. She looked to her window, seeing the dying sunlight outside. His visits never really lasted this long, but she didn’t want to question it. She looked back over at him with a quick smile when she heard him tucking his journal back into his satchel, the rustling filling the air along with the crackling of the fire. 

Arthur regarded her with curious eyes for a moment, making Chloe’s face heat up as he remained wordless. His blue gaze almost seeming like it wanted to pierce her with its vibrancy, a small smile playing on his lips. He studied the wisps of her hair that covered her forehead, the sparkling jade of her eyes pulling him in like they usually did before she looked down at her hands.

Chloe hesitated for a moment, her lips pursuing before looking at Arthur. “May I ask you something?” she started silently, her small hands gently tugging and twisting at the fabric of her sleeve. Arthur quirked a brow curiously, silently waiting for her to ask away. She pressed her full lips together as if she were trying to gather some assertiveness. “

“Can you take me to a saloon?” she piped up, making Arthur pause. Arthur looked at her in confusion before shaking his head at her, watching the light in her green eyes shift.

“No,” he confirmed. “Saloons ain’t a place for someone like you,” he continued.

“Please Arthur, I don’t usually go anywhere else other than Saint Denis and that’s only for random errands. I’ve always wanted to at least experience what it’s like in a saloon. I know that it wouldn’t be wise to go alone so if you come with me it wouldn’t be so bad…,” she reasoned, making Arthur let out a heavy sigh. 

“I ain’t so sure that that’s a good idea, Chloe,” Arthur pressed, shaking his head.

“Come on, Arthur, please. Just for an hour, we don’t have to stay for long. I-I just wanted to see what it’s like. Just for a moment,” she pleaded again, gazing up at him with doe eyes. Arthur stared at her for a long time, studying her expression with a hint of warmth in his eyes. He let out another sigh before stretching his legs out, slouching almost lazily in his chair.

“Alright, fine, fine…,” he relented, shaking his head. “But you’re gonna have to listen to me and not wander off anywhere. Once we’re done, we’re leaving. Okay?” he replied, watching as Chloe nodded in excitement before standing up from her chair. 

“Thank you, Arthur,” she said happily, making Arthur grumble in response. 

Chloe blushed lightly, rubbing the back of her slender neck. “Well, I should probably change into some better clothes if we’re going,” she said, looking down at her current light blue dress. It had a couple of faint stains on it from her cooking earlier that evening. Not waiting for him to respond, she headed towards her bedroom. 

“I’ll be quick, okay?” she said, giving him a quick smile before closing the door to change. Arthur nodded, clearing his throat awkwardly as he waited for her. He grunted softly before he took a seat again to wait on her, his hand brushing across his chin. The thoughts of Chloe’s unclothed figure invaded his mind; the swell of her breasts, the flat plane of her tummy and curving out to her smooth hips. Her green eyes dim with desire as he gripped her soft thighs, gazing up at him with a want that could only be sated by him alone. He closed his eyes, instantly feeling shamed by his thoughts. He knew that he was only a man and finding a young woman attractive wasn’t new to him, but Chloe’s guileless nature made it seem almost scandalous. He noticed her little minx-like tendencies whenever she would let them pour from her, the bat of her eyelashes or her gentle touches to make him flustered. It was enough to drive a lesser man wild.

Chloe soon came back dressed in a simple light pink dress with a maroon shawl over her shoulders with brown boots. Her lips were rosier than usual, letting him know that she applied a faint layer of makeup with her hair pull down in a neat updo. She fidgeted, adjusting the sleeves of her dress before giving him a smile. She watched as Arthur stood up, his eyes almost looking as if they wanted to avoid her as he looked down. 

“Ready?” he said, looking up at her momentarily and Chloe nodded. She followed him outside, honestly starting to feel excited for the experience but at the same time felt a little cautious. When she moved to go and get Chantilly from the shed, Arthur quickly grabbed her wrist. His tough gentle yet firm, making her look back at him in surprise. 

“You can just ride with me,” he said, chuckling as she hesitated. “Don’t think too long about it. I don’t wanna leave you behind,” 

Chloe quickly followed behind him once she heard his words. She was in the middle of climbing up on his new black Shire horse before she felt Arthur’s big, firm hands grip her waist and easily helped her up on the saddle before getting on afterwards. Her vision blocked by Arthur’s broad back, making her blush silently. Her sides still felt warm from his touch; she felt like a feather when he lifted her. She quickly held onto his sides once he murmured to his horse to move, the horse galloping away from her cottage. She wasn’t used to riding with another person, moving a little closer to Arthur once the horse began to move faster. Arthur felt her small hands grip at his sides a bit harder, a sharp tingling zipping through his body in response. He let out a soft, hum, quickly covering it up with a cough. 

He felt her shift again, almost feeling her anxiousness throb through the warm evening air. He glanced back at her before focusing ahead again as they neared Strawberry.

“You doin’ alright back there?” he asked as they crossed into Strawberry, hearing her let out the small giggle that he was now used to.

“I’m fine,” she said over the rush of wind, her grip on his waist loosening when he slowed down to a light trot. The sky was now a dark blue; the muffled laughter and music drifting from the saloon as they got closer. He stopped and hitched his horse before hopping off, turning to help Chloe off the horse. Chloe gripped his shoulders as he easily lifted her off, her boots meeting the ground once more. She gently lifted the end of her dress so it wouldn’t brush against the cakey dirt as she climbed up the creaky wooden stairs to the saloon. Arthur followed her, smirking when she paused at the entrance. He stepped in front of her, her vision once again blocked by his tall, muscular figure. He confidently walked into the saloon with Chloe trailing in behind him. She immediately was hit with the scent of liquor and smoke clouding the air. 

The music and voices overlapping each other filled up her senses instantly, trying her best to take everything in. The warmth that radiated from Arthur a comfort for her in the unfamiliar atmosphere. Blushing when a drunken man tried to grab at her, she quickly moved to Arthur’s side and sat next to him at the bar. Chloe continued to glance around her, her hands combing through her hair self-consciously before she heard the bartender as her what she wanted after getting Arthur a couple of shots of whiskey. She cleared her throat a little, blushing as she thought about what she wanted to drink.

“I’ll just have a mint julep, please…,” she replied meekly, making the bartender regard her with a humored curiosity before turning away to prepare her drink and sat it in front of her. Chloe stayed close to Arthur, noticing the leering eyes of some of the patrons directed at her. Arthur took notice, downing his second shot of whiskey as the sound of a coin danced upon the counter to summon another.

“You alright there?” he said with a small chuckle, gesturing towards her drink. “I thought you were havin’ fun?” he chuckled heartily, making Chloe frown before taking a measured sip from her drink. It tasted good, the flavor of the gin coating her tongue with each sip and began to loosen her up immediately. She knew she didn’t have that high of a tolerance when it came to consume alcohol, which made her a little careful. The opposite of Arthur, who downed more shots before getting a mug of beer to nurse from. She could tell that he was a lot more relaxed, giving her silly, warm smiles and small joking comments about the people around them to make her laugh. 

Chloe let out a breathy sigh at the top of the new hour, her dark hair tumbling over her shoulders sultrily after she let it down to relax as the alcohol settled in her blood. Soft, girlish giggles tumbled from her lips as Arthur continued to whisper jokes to her and laughing softly, his cheeks rosy from intoxication. Heated whispers filled her ears, igniting a buzzing sensation that worked its way over her warm skin. Arthur’s warm, calloused hand stroked her arm, embedding a sense of warmth and comfort into her as they zoned out of the surroundings. From the outside, they looked like a couple of intoxicated lovers; cooing and laughing amongst one another.   
“Oh Arthur, thank you for this. I haven’t had this much fun in a long time,” she said, making Arthur almost recoil shyly.

“It’s my pleasure, milady,” he murmured, his blue eyes sparkling when he looked at her. His lips parted as he reached up to stroke her chin. Chloe’s eyes closed when she felt his touch, a distant thought telling her that she should make him stop but she couldn’t do it. She opened her eyes, immediately wanting to shrink like a violet away from the sudden heat in his gaze. It was the alcohol, she reminded herself. She could see it through her own inebriation, making her reach up to softly yet reluctantly clasp his wrist. 

“Arthur,” she whispered, getting his attention immediately. His gaze moved from her eyes to her lips, a small grunt escaping his throat. She carefully moved his hand away from her face, which had now crept up to her jaw only for him to smooth a hand up to the back of her slender neck. Arthur felt some of her silky strands wrap around his fingers, enjoying the warmth that flowed from her. Before he could act any further, a deep voice interrupted their exchange followed by a loud guffaw. 

“Well, if it ain’t Dutch’s boy?” the voice said, the air around Arthur immediately shifting as he turned to face the man who acknowledged him only to see he had two other men accompanying him. The softness in his eyes melting away to a hard glint as he stared at him dangerously. Chloe sensed the sudden danger looming, watching warily as Arthur stood up with his hand near his gun.

“I ain’t here to start any trouble now,” Arthur spoke out, eyeing the group cautiously. His eyes darted over at Chloe, seeing the growing fear shadowing her face and sobering him up even more. The man’s eyes shifted over to Chloe’s rigid figure beside Arthur and grinned evilly. 

“You got a lady now? She’s a pretty little thing,” he said, meeting Arthur’s glare before looking at Chloe again. Chloe got closer to Arthur when the man gestured to her with a come-hither movement of his hand.

“Here, kitty kitty…,” he taunted lowly, his accent curling around his words. Chloe looked away in disgust, looking up at Arthur’s stony face.

“Arthur, w-what’s going on?” she said shakily. Arthur gave her quick glance before looking up at the men once more, squeezing her arm reassuringly before bringing his hand back to his side.

“Last warning, boys…,” Arthur warned, his fingers brushing the handle of his gun as he watched their every movement. “I’m sure Colm would hate to lose some more of his men…,”

They all stared at Arthur angrily, the air in the saloon now quiet and dense as the music and joyful chatter had stopped. All the patrons looked on fearfully, knowingly. Some of them even scurrying out of the saloon out of fear, knowing what was coming. Chloe clenched at the stool beside her, almost wishing she could hide behind it. She glanced over at the door, almost wanting to run away from the scene and not look back. She didn’t know why she even did this; all of this could have been different if she had just stayed at home. Her little bubble in the small valley; quiet and peaceful.

The creaking of the floor alerted her to look up as one of the men pulled his pistol, letting off a couple of rounds towards Arthur. Chloe screamed and ducked down, covering her head as she heard everyone begin to run. The screams of the other patrons filled the air as she scrambled behind the bar, hiding behind the counter as more shots rang out. The gun fire then ceased, making Chloe look up as Arthur went around to grab her arm. He quickly led her out of the saloon and towards his horse, cursing once he heard more shots ring out across from them. 

“Get on!” he commanded, making Chloe quickly hike herself up on the horse before he followed and immediately galloped out of town. Chloe held him around the waist tightly, whimpering as she felt him reach for his gun and send more bullets flying towards their attackers. The neigh of startled horses mingling with the echo of gunfire and the smell of heated steel. She could feel tears prick her eyes as it all continued, hoping that it all would stop soon. Chloe hissed when a bullet hit her in the thigh, blood quickly blossoming on the petal pink skirt of her dress. Chloe cried softly, gripping her leg in pain and burying her damp face against Arthur’s back. 

Arthur growled, quickly reloading before taking out another group of O’Driscolls before grabbing the reins of his horse to gallop away before any more them had spotted them. He shook his head, cursing angrily under his breath. The breeze from the ride felt refreshing before he finally murmured for his horse to slow down once they were in the clear to a slower trot. He glanced back at Chloe, frowning once he saw her wound and her trembling hand clenching at her thigh.

“Arthur, it hurts…,” she sobbed softly, fresh tears rolling down her face. 

“Don’t worry, we’re almost there. Just hang on…,” he said. Once he caught sight of her cottage, he immediately sped up until they arrived outside of it, hopping off and gently grabbing her waist to help her off the saddle. She let out a cry of pain, tears streaking her face as he carefully held her in his arms. Arthur kicked open her door, closing it behind them before carrying her to her bedroom. 

He laid her down on her bed, watching as she let out short breaths and tried her best to distract herself from the pain. Arthur smoothed her hair back from her head, her lip trembling as she continued to cry gently. 

Arthur carefully lifted her skirt up her trembling legs, exposing the wound to his eyes. He hissed softly at the sight, the wound marring her smooth skin. The blood gushing from it whenever you pushed around the reddened skin. Arthur gently rubbed her calf to calm her, the whimpers of pain filling the air. 

“It’s alright, it’s alright,” he murmured to her, whispering soft words of encouragement as he examined her wound. 

Chloe tried her best to steady her breathing, looking at Arthur with teary eyes. “Arthur…,” she breathed, trying her best to ignore the pain. “Who were those people? W-Why did they try to hurt you?” she asked quietly, hissing when he began to treat her wound the best way he could. He was able to push the bullet out, a wail escaping Chloe’s lips from the pain before he shushed her gently, rubbing her wispy hairs from her forehead. 

“O’Driscolls…,” he murmured in response, looking up at her briefly before looking back down. “A bad bunch…that my family and I have some bad run-ins with from time to time,” he explained, making Chloe regard him silently. 

Arthur looked around her bedroom, getting up to look through her drawers for bandages. When he found some, he carefully wrapped them around her wound. Through the pain, Chloe blushed at how delicately he handled her. His hand carefully holding her leg, stroking the back of her calf to comfort her as he made sure the bandage was secure on her leg. Chloe continued to shiver with fear and pain, feeling a slight bit better from the wound being bandaged up. “Oh Arthur, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you to bring me out,” she whimpered.

Arthur stroked her leg to comfort her before looking up at her tear-streaked face, sighing. “Now, now, don’t go blamin’ yourself. Those O’Driscolls would’ve came after me if you were with me or not. Don’t worry yourself…,” he murmured silently.

Chloe gazed at him quietly, the alcohol still roaming in her blood. The alcohol combined with her now calming adrenaline made her extremely exhausted. Arthur took note of her drooping eyes, removing his hand from her leg and carefully lowering her skirt back down her leg. Cloudy green eyes watched, drifting in and out of consciousness as he cleaned up behind himself. He put the bandages back into their place and throwing away the bloody bullet and gauze. She realized he was leaving, finding her voice finally to speak out to him. 

“Arthur…,” she called out, her voice thick with slumber and soft but it was loud enough to catch Arthur’s ears. Arthur turned in the direction of her voice, slowly walking back to her room. He went back to her side, watching her heavy-lidded eyes look at him before a faint smile formed on her face to him. Even through the darkness of sleep, she could see the vibrancy of his ocean eyes staring back at her in bemusement.

“Please be careful, Arthur,” she said, her voice as quiet and soft as a falling rose petal. “I would hate to see you hurt again,”

Arthur’s face reflected surprise at her words, watching her hold on to her last sliver of consciousness as she awaited his answer. He didn’t know what to say; it wasn’t like he hadn’t heard it before from the other women at his camp. They always worried about him and how he was doing but it was different to hear it from her for some reason. 

“You have my word, milady,” he finally responded, making Chloe’s faint smile brighten before a little chuckle left her.

“Chloe…,” she corrected in a gentle whisper as she finally surrendered to sleep, making Arthur laugh quietly. 

“Goodnight, Chloe,” he said silently, staying with her for a moment to make sure she was resting well with her wound before slowly rising to his feet and quietly making his way out of warm cottage. He was greeted with the cool breeze of the night, his horse waiting impatiently for him to return. He approached his horse, petting her to calm her down before mounting her again. 

“Let’s go home, girl…,” he crooned to her, petting her mane before galloping into the night, unaware of the eyes watching him go. 

-o-


End file.
